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Endorsed by the RSPO Board of Governors and adoption of 2024 RSPO Principles and Criteria at the 21st RSPO General Assembly on 13 November 2024
Introduction
Understanding the Who, What, and How of the RSPO Independent Smallholder Standard
The 2024 RSPO Independent Smallholder (ISH) Standard provides a holistic approach for the sustainable cultivation of oil palms by independent smallholder farmers.
Who
Who within scope shall be referred to as ‘oil palm growers’ or ‘growers’
to pursue RSPO Certification
The 2024 RSPO P&C applies to RSPO members involved in activities covered by the above scope regardless of category or sector of RSPO membership
RSPO members within scope shall be referred to as ‘oil palm growers’ or ‘growers’:
01
Exceptions included:
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Independent Palm Oil Mills
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Independent Smallholder groups
02
Certification under the 2024 RSPO P&C is granted
To a palm oil mill(s) and associated supply base(s), collectively known as a Unit of Certification (UoC).
03
A UoC must demonstrate
Compliance with the standard to receive certification.
04
The certification scope includes:
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Scheme smallholders (individuals or groups).
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Outgrowers under a formal and legal contractual Fresh Fruit Bunch (FFB) sourcing agreement with a UoC.
05
The scope should be contextualized
through a National Interpretation process.
Summary
Total number of principles, criterias and indicators under P&Cs
7
Principles
50
Criterias
120
Indicators
Impact Areas
The RSPO P&C are organised into three impact areas according to the RSPO ToC.
01
Prosperity
A sustainable, competitive, and resilient palm oil sector ensures long-term viability of the entire supply chain and shared benefits for both private sector as well as the livelihoods of communities where oil palm is grown.
Read Criterias02
People
Human rights protected, respected and remedied. The palm oil sector contributes to reducing poverty and palm oil production is a source of sustainable livelihoods.
Read Criterias03
Planet
A sustainable, competitive, and resilient palm oil sector ensures long-term viability of the entire supply chain and shared benefits for both private sector as well as the livelihoods of communities where oil palm is grown.
Read CriteriasOur Aim
To develop and implement global standards for sustainable palm oil production
Sustainable palm oil production is comprised of legal, economically viable, environmentally appropriate and socially beneficial management and operations.
To ensure the credibility of palm oil sustainability claims, all RSPO members who take legal ownership and produce or handle RSPO certified sustainable oil palm products need to be RSPO certified.
Certification
Standards System
Certication
RSPO certification ensures that all users and consumers are contributing to the production of Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO), and thereby reducing the negative social and environmental impact of conventional oil palm cultivation.
At the heart of this process is the RSPO Principles and Criteria (P&C), a set of stringent standards for sustainable palm oil production that RSPO members must comply with.
Standards System
RSPO remains committed to transparency and accountability. The RSPO provides systems to ensure that RSPO certified members abide by the standards.
These include third-party certification, a system of accreditation for certification bodies, an open and transparent grievance mechanism, supply chain certification to end users, and traceability provided via the PalmTrace system.
RSPO is also always working to improve its systems. This system allows members to market their products as the result of environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management - eventually seeking to market their products as RSPO certified.
Certification, Claims, and Benefits
A global certification system for certified sustainable palm oil
RSPO Certification assures individuals that RSPO Members who produce or physically handle RSPO Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO) have obtained RSPO Certification. It includes the assurance that the member has committed to and complied with sustainability requirements, and can make a claim on their certification status and communicate this throughout the supply chain.